A photo posted by rubberhorses (@rubberhorses) on May 15, 2016 at 11:24am PDT

Every summer and every winter, R5’s Punk Rock Flea Market on 9th and Spring Garden some of the coolest band shirts and old records Philadelphians have to offer — but also some of the weirdest crap in the city. Here at The Key, we like to showcase some of that weird crap. Here’s this summer’s 16 weirdest things we found at the Punk Rock Flea Market! Enjoy. Continue reading →

R5 Production’s semi-annual Punk Rock Flea Market brings out some of the best action figures, clothing and vinyl Philadelphians have to offer — but also some of the weirdest things you’ll ever see. After looking at what Philly had to sell this past summer, we headed back to the “Punk Rock Flea Market Dome” to check out what new crazy stuff is for sale this time. Continue reading →

Every year, R5 Productions’ Punk Rock Flea Market brings out some of the craziest things Philadelphians have to sell. We checked out this year’s epic garage sale, held this past weekend at the “Flea Market Dome” at 9th and Spring Garden, and this is what we saw.

It’s back! For just $3, you can make your way down to 9th & Spring Garden for this year’s Punk Rock Flea Market. Taking place on June 7th & 8th, R5 Productions promises two days of nostalgic fun that will feature “500+ vendors selling old records, clothes, art, music, food, junk, bicycles, stereo equipment, instruments, automobiles, tools, posters, furniture, computers, skateboards and lots of other stuff!” Tickets are available here.

R5 Productions‘ bi-annual Punk Rock Flea Market will be celebrating its tenth anniversary this Saturday and Sunday, with over 500 vendors selling new and old records, vintage clothes, art, music, junk, stereo equipment, automobiles, skateboards, and anything else you can think of that falls into the world of punk or hipster. Some of the strangest/best finds could include Nintendo or Genesis games, Amish Christmas attire, jewelry, or that one record you could never get your hands on. There will also be food trucks and vendors selling vegan baked goods and other non-traditional food stuffs.

In addition to the merchants, R5 Productions will be selling passes for any ten R5 shows of your choosing in 2014 and $3 off tickets to any one show. Definitely check out the Punk Rock Flea Market this weekend, whether its for fun or to do some Holiday shopping.

The flea market has a $3 cover charge which is good for both days. Normally all proceeds go to R5 Productions’ operating costs and helping keep their shows all ages; definitely a good cause, seeing as R5 has been putting on all ages shows for years. However, this year R5 decided to donate the majority of the proceeds to Skateistan, a non profit organization that uses skateboarding as a means to help educate young people, particularly young girls, in Afghanistan and Cambodia. Watch the video below to see how Skateistan is connecting education and skateboarding.

Some advice for visiting the Punk Rock Flea Market: bring cash, a bag for all the awesome stuff you’ll buy, and your punk rock self. Get more information on the event on the Facebook page.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Punk Rock Flea Market Dome (the old Fed Ex Building) at 461 N. 9th Street.

FRIDAY, MAY 20
Merrill Garbus, who performs as tUnE-yArDs, sees things in a million shades of gray. Her lyrics and interviews are filled with more questions than answers. Is she borrowing—or stealing—her beats and yelps from African music? Should she sing about the political views that are inherently a part of her personality, or will she come across as preachy? Should she make her music more confrontational to avoid having it played in Urban Outfitters? And if her music is even more confrontational, will it alienate the listener? That kind of ambivalence could bog a musician down. But Garbus has an ability to ask questions powerfully. Layers of explosive percussion drive the music; her voice ranges unpredictably. The result is music that lies off the beaten path of current indie trends. tUnE-yArDs performs with Buke And Gass at 9 p.m. at Johnny Brenda’s; tickets to the 21+ show are SOLD OUT. —Dave Simpson

SATURDAY, MAY 21
As one of the leaders of the folk-baroque resurgence, Seattle’s Fleet Foxes bring a harmony-laden, rustic approach to pop. The songs sound like hymns to rural Americana—they’re both a tribute and a wishful hope for a return to simpler time. Unfortunately, singer Robin Pecknold’s lyrics sometimes veer off into hokey territory, especially when he rambles at length about the poetry of snowflakes and sun-drenched orchards. But Fleet Foxes are highly listenable: both their first album and their latest, Helplessness Blues (which came out earlier this month), offer a dreamy, inoffensive soundtrack for an afternoon spent picking apples and wearing plaid. Fleet Foxes perform with The Cave Singers at 9 p.m. at The Tower Theatre; tickets to the show are SOLD OUT. —Kiley Bense

Planning on stopping by the Punk Rock Flea Market tomorrow? If so, The Key wants photos of your best PRFM finds! Did you find one of your Holy Grail records? An amazing piece of vintage stereo equipment? Some sweet junk? Send us a photo by Monday at noon so we can post it to our site.

From the R5 website: “Our biggest one yet! 200+ tables of vendors selling old records, clothes, art, music, food, junk, bicycles, stereo equipment, instruments, automobiles, tools, posters, furniture, computers, skateboards and lots of other stuff ! All proceeds goto making sure that all ages shows remain a reality at the first unitarian church and other all ages venues!”

About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH

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About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH